


To Be The One By Your Side

by BeesBeanie



Series: KakaIru Event Submissions [4]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Day 1 - Weddings, KakaIru Week 2020, M/M, Requited Love, drink responsibly y'all, iruka drinking beer like a mad lad, little bit of angst with hopeful ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:21:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26371858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeesBeanie/pseuds/BeesBeanie
Summary: “Have you heard about Kakashi?"Iruka took a self-conscious swig of his beer and shook his head.“He’s getting married.”---KakaIru Week 2020 | Day 1 | Weddings
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Series: KakaIru Event Submissions [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1924447
Comments: 12
Kudos: 138
Collections: KakaIru Week 2020





	To Be The One By Your Side

**Author's Note:**

> Written for KakaIru Week 2020!
> 
> Day 1 | Weddings (kinda,,, i went for the implication of a wedding but it still counts, right?? maybe??)
> 
> anyway i tried, it's 1am i like to participate, pls enjoy

“Have you heard?”

“Hm?” Iruka glanced over the table at Kotetsu.

“About Kakashi,” he clarified.

Iruka took a self-conscious swig of his beer and shook his head.

“He’s getting married.”

Iruka choked on his beer.

He could feel someone rubbing his back for a moment while he caught his breath. It felt like sandpaper to the soul.

Kakashi… was getting married? Iruka breathed deep into his nose.

“Who…” He started, shaking his head as if to clear it. He cleared his throat. “Who?”

“No one knows,” Kotetsu winced.

Iruka frowned at that. “Then how do you know he’s getting married?”

“Apparently there’s a deadline,” Izumo chimed in from his other side. “I heard from one of the Elder’s guards that they told Hatake he has to have a fiancé lined up by summer’s end or they’ll be, quote, “forced to intervene”.”

Iruka could feel his entire face scrunching up

“Yeah, same reaction,” Izumo agreed, taking another sip of beer. “And that’s excluding knowing about your feelings for him.”

Iruka didn’t bother to deny it, it wasn’t much of a secret among his close friends.

He’d had a crush on Kakashi for a little while now, but the time never seemed right to act on it. The two had gotten closer in the time Naruto was away from the village, both gravitating towards each other with their shared love and exasperation for the boy.

Iruka had found him delightfully interesting beneath his aloof persona, realizing they both held a passion for their village and duties that rivaled the others’. It was a funny friendship that developed into something more right under Iruka’s nose.

The realization seemed to punch him in the gut one day as he watched Kakashi lounging on their—yes, _their_ —bench reading what he knew to be a historical romance beneath an Icha Icha dust jacket. Kakashi glanced up, caught his eye, and smiled widely beneath his mask before scooting over enough for Iruka to join him.

Iruka’s heart rate had skyrocketed so high, Kakashi had asked him if he was feeling okay.

But he was so far from okay.

Especially now.

_Married._

As if brought by the thought of him, the thick door to the bar creaked open and Konoha’s most eligible bachelor walked in, flanked by his two oldest friends. They beelined for the main bar before gathering a handful of beer bottles each and shuffling towards a shadowed booth.

Iruka watched as Kakashi chugged back a large swig of beer in one go.

“So far he’s rejected two propositions,” Kotetsu whispered, one eye on the man in question. “Word’s already getting around that he’s hot on the market.”

“They don’t even care about him,” Iruka muttered, taking another more violent swig. “They just want his name.”

Kotetsu and Izumo glanced at each other over Iruka’s head while he continued to gripe under his breath.

It was Izumo who cleared his throat. “You know, you’re right, Iruka.”

“’Course I am,” he agreed, flagging down the bartender for another. He paused. “About what?”

“It’s really unfair that Kakashi’s being forced to marry someone,” Izumo went on, tone leading. “Especially someone who doesn’t even know him for who he really is.”

“Yeah,” Iruka agreed, a little more sloshed than he probably realized. Kotetsu gestured behind him to the barkeep to cut the man off after this one. “It’s bullshit. Kakashi’s amazing.”

“Mmhmm,” Izumo agreed. “Don’t you think he should have a chance with someone who actually likes him as a person?”

Iruka nodded emphatically. “Absolutely!”

Kotetsu made meaningful eye contact with Izumo. “Maybe… You could—”

Iruka slammed his last beer down on the table. The two went silent.

“Listen,” Iruka started, voice gruff. “I know what you guys are doing, and I appreciate it.”

They waited for the inevitable _“but fuck off please I can’t take this right now”…_

Iruka looked up to them both, eyes shining with a mischievous determination. “You’re right. I’ve got nothing to lose and a better shot than most.”

He turned to look across the bar to Kakashi’s booth, watching with wonder as he caught Iruka’s gaze and gave a small, tired wave.

Iruka smiled.

He turned back to his friends, and shoved his drink into Izumo’s hand. “Hold this for me.”

Iruka stood from the booth, wobbling slightly, before walking over to the far side of the bar.

He watched as Kakashi spoke with his friends, gesturing lightly with his beer as he spoke. Kakashi glanced up as Iruka approached, saying nothing as he stood beside the booth.

“I’d like to sit by your side, Kakashi,” he said with no preamble. “If you’d allow me.”

Kakashi’s eye widened momentarily before it darted across Iruka’s face, taking in the disheveled but earnest appearance. It was a loaded statement, deceptive in its simplicity, but Iruka knew Kakashi would understand, he knew to look underneath the underneath.

A beat passed in tense silence. Then, to the surprise of his friends, Kakashi slowly slid over to the far side of the bench, leaving just enough space for Iruka to sit.

“There’s no one I’d rather have by my side, sensei,” he said.

The room seemed to go totally quiet.

Slowly, processing the words and actions, Iruka beamed. A delighted laugh spilled past his lips as he stumbled to sit down in the vacant spot. He felt Kakashi’s arm rest lightly over his shoulders and sighed in contentment, leaning into the embrace.

Kakashi’s hand squeezed lightly on his shoulder.

 _Yes_ , Iruka thought, _the best seat was always at Kakashi’s side. Right where he was always wanted._

=x END x=

**Author's Note:**

> And then Iruka fell asleep against Kakashi's shoulder, which Kakashi found very cute despite the drool.
> 
> \---
> 
> Let me know if you enjoyed! Thanks for reading!
> 
> Links: [Twitter](https://twitter.com/GabesBeaniee) | [Tumblr](https://gabesbeanie.tumblr.com) | [Carrd](https://gabesbeaniee.carrd.co)


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